England cricket team sweat on Flintoff fitness

England were left waiting on the fitness of Andrew Flintoff once again after the star all-rounder suffered a fresh injury to his troublesome left ankle ahead of Sunday's fifth one-day international against India at Headingley.

Flintoff didn't bowl in the nets at Yorkshire's headquarters on Saturday, although he did bat.

England captain Paul Collingwood told reporters at the ground after practice: "Freddie's got a little bit of soreness in his ankle again.

"We'll have to wait and see about him in the next few hours. He's icing it up as usual but he has got a little bit of tenderness there. I'm sure he'll seek advice from the medical team."

Collingwood added that if Flintoff was ruled out, fast bowler Chris Tremlett would be likely to take his place.

"It looks a pretty typical Headingley pitch and it looks as if it will be overcast.

"That would give the big lad Tremlett a chance of playing because he took a good couple of wickets in the middle of the innings at Edgbaston (where England won by 42 runs on August 27)."

An England spokesman, who said Flintoff had felt some soreness in his ankle after the team's three-wicket win against India at the player's Old Trafford home ground on Thursday, added an update on the Lancashire star's fitness would be provided later on Saturday.

Flintoff, 29, has had three operations on his left ankle.

He hadn't played any international cricket at all this season until returning for the start of the ongoing seven match one-day series with India. However, he missed the third match of the campaign, at Edgbaston, with a right knee injury.

England are 3-1 up in the series and a win at Headingley will give them an unbeatable lead ahead of next week's matches in London at The Oval and Lord's.